Do you have a running toilet or a low toilet bowl water level? These common toilet float problems can be fixed without needing to hire a plumber… by learning how to adjust a toilet float. Also, a proper adjustment will make sure your toilet will fill with proper amount of water, which yields better flushes and less water wastage. In this guide, we will take you through the basics of checking and repairing the float and fill valve, giving you useful knowledge that will save time and money. To read further and learn how to troubleshoot your troubles on your own.
Inspect the Toilet Tank
It is necessary to examine the toilet before any changes are made. Carefully remove the tank cover and check inside to see condition of the components – the float and the fill valve. During your inspection, look for signs of damage, such as a misaligned float, a broken fill valve, or leaks. So be sure to look inside the toilet tank for its water level. If the water is too high or too low that may mean the float needs to be adjusted. To best tackle the problem, you need to look into the issue because a thorough inspection will reveal the root of the problem.
Identify the Float Mechanism
To adjust your toilet float properly, you must determine what type of float mechanism you have. There are toilets with a traditional ball float on a rod, and there are others with a cylindrical float valve. Older toilet models have the ball float, while the cylindrical float valve is the more common in modern toilets. First you will recognize what type of float mechanism you are working with. For example, ball floats require manual bending of the rod, whilst cylindrical floats involve sliding or changing clips. This distinction is important because if it were the other way around, then you use the proper method to adjust the float and solve the problems of your toilet.
Adjust the Ball Float or Float Valve
If your toilet has a ball float, you can also adjust it by bending the rod up or down carefully to raise or lower the water level. By heating the rod and bending the rod upward, the float rises higher and puts more water under it. If your toilet is nipped with a cylindrical float valve float, you’ll be sliding the float up or down on the rod the adjust the water level. Important steps to make sure you’re right about it is to adjust the float valve or ball float to make the toilet tank fill with the correct amount of water every time you flush. You need to be careful not to over bend the rod or adjust the float valve too much, as it may result in the wrong water levels.
Learn More: What Is a Bidet Toilet and Why You Should Consider It for Your Bathroom
Adjust the Fill Valve Screw
Using the fill valve screw on another method to adjust the water level in your toilet tank. The top of many fill valves has an adjustment screw that lets you fiddle with the water level. If you’re in a hurry, you could use a screwdriver to turn the screw to raise the water level or to lift it down. Another method that is quick and easy to modify without replacing any parts. The filling valve is adjusted so the tank is filled to the proper level each time the toilet is flushed and doesn’t overfill or underfill. And this simple adjustment will fix a running toilet, or weak flushes, for instance.
Check the Water Level in the Toilet Tank
Adjusting the float or fill valve is necessary only after you’ve done so. Be sure to check the water level in the toilet tank. When the tank is full, the water should be about one inch from the overflow tube. If the water level is too high, the toilet may start to run over continuously, which uses water. If it’s too low, then you may experience weak flushes. When you do your adjustments on one of the potting tables, just allow the tank (in which hangs the watering device) to refill and watch the water level to see if it’s at the exactly correct height. This step makes sure that your toilet doesn’t waste water or do a very poor job.
Test for Proper Water Refill
However, to test whether the toilet is working, it’s necessary to adjust the float and fill valve. Go ahead and flush the toilet – watch the water refill the tank. As the right water level is reached, the float should rise, shut off the water flow. If this continues, or if the tank won’t fill, you may need to adjust the float or fill valve. Once you’ve made a change to your toilet, testing the toilet after each test confirms that you are getting the result you want and that your toilet is no longer wasteful or filling your bowl with water and not flushing the waste down.
Replace the Fill Valve if Necessary
If the float or fill valve is not adjusting the problem then it might be time to replace the fill valve. Toilets that are older can wear the fill valve mechanism out over time. If the fill valve is faulty, the tank could not fill properly, or it may continuously run. Change of fill valve is a very easy process which can be done without professional help. Shut off that water supply to that toilet first, remove that old fill valve and install a new one. Make sure the new valve is where it needs to be, and then once turned back on and the toilet tested, be cautious you haven’t overtightened the new valve.
Read Also: How to Adjust a Toilet Fill Valve
When to Call a Professional Plumber
That’s not always the case; even with changing the toilet float or replacing the fill valve, the problem won’t necessarily go away. A professional plumber may be called if all else fails and your toilet still won’t run or flush. An expert can diagnose more complex issues, like internal leaks, cracked components or the problem with water supply system. Most toilet problems can be corrected with a little adjusting of the float, but there are times when a do it yourself approach is not an option because the damage is done and water is lost!
Key Points to Remember:
- Before making any adjustments, check the toilet tank and components.
- To properly adjust the float mechanism select type of float mechanism (ball float or cylindrical float valve).
- You turn the ball float or fill valve so the water level in the toilet tank can be controlled.
- When you fill the well, use the fill valve screw to find the water level that works best for your well.
- After any adjustments, check the water level; it should be about one inch below the overflow tube.
- After each adjustment of the toilet test the toilet to make sure the refill is correct and toilet functions properly.
- If your fill valve is worn out or broken past repair, replace it.
- If adjustments and replacements don’t fix the problem, call a professional plumber.
FAQs
What is the purpose of toilet float and fill valve?
The work of the toilet’s toilet float and fill valve is to control the water level in the toilet tank. The float signals the fill valve to fill the tank with water (or, when the desired level is reached, shut off the water supply).
The float goes up or down with the water level. That ensures proper functioning of the toilet and might sometimes even prevent overflow.
When do you determine if you need to adjust the bathroom toilet float?
There is a chance your toilet float might need to be adjusted if your toilet is running or if the water level in the toilet tank is too low or too high. The water line in your toilet tank is an easy way to check the water level. It doesn’t have to be on the recommended line; if the water is coming up past the recommended line it should be lowered, if it’s too low, it should be raised.
What do I need in order to adjust the toilet float and fill valve?
Unless you’ve got the correct tools you’ll typically need a screwdriver to loosen the screw that tweak the float. In a few cases you also need a pair of pliers if the float valve gets stuck. It’s also a good idea to have a towel handy to wipe up any spills.
